Sunshade and table unit



Dec- 6. 1966 A. A. MOUW 3,289,612

SUNSHADE AND TABLE UNIT Filed Oct. 15, 1965 INVENTOR Adi 327%. ay y BY 661,? Q; Ade/Z14 47742/1/5 United States Patent 3,289,612 SUNSHADE AND TABLE UNllT n Albert A. Mouw, 330 E. 237th St., Wilmington, Calir. Filed Oct. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 496,533 3 Claims. (Cl. 108-50) This invention relates to a combined sunshade and table unit for use in yards and on lawns, patios, and the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel sunshade and table unit of simple, inexpensive and sturdy construction wherein a base supports a standard in upright position and the standard supports a table and a comparatively large and novel form of sunshade above the table, the relative arrangement, construction and operation of the standard, table and sunshade being such that adequate shade may be provided for the table and a large seating area adjacent the table.

It is another object of this invention to provide a sunshade and table unit such as above described wherein the sunshade is tiltably supported on the standard, the standard being rotatably supported on the base so that upon turning of the standard the sunshade will also be turned so that it may be disposed in desired positions for an effective shading of the table and seating area around the table.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a combined sunshade and table wherein the sunshade may be square, rectangular, or otherwise shaped and is mounted substantially centrally thereof on the upper end of the standard by novel means affording a reliable and balanced tiltable connection of the sunshade with the standard and with provision for releasably holding the sunshade in different tilted positions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sunshade and table unit such as above described wherein the table is vertically adjustably supported on that portion of the standard extending between the sunshade and the base whereby the table may be disposed for use as a table at different levels or raised above the usual table height to serve as a shelf.

Further, it is an object of this invention to provide a sunshade and table unit such as described wherein the standard with the comparatively large sunshade thereon readily and easily may be rotated by reason of a novel ball bearing support of the standard on the base.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described or will become apparent to those skilled in the art, and the novel features of the invention will be defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sunshade and table unit embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the sunshade and table with portions thereof shown in dot-dash lines in different positions and other portions broken away for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view looking in the direction of the line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

A sunshade and table unit embodying the present invention as shown in the accompanying drawings generally comprises a tubular base 1 that may be fastened in any suitable manner to a surface on which it is placed, a tubular standard 2 supported in upright position in the base, a table 3 vertically adjustably mounted on the standard and a large sunshade 4 tiltably mounted on the upper end of the standard. The standard is rotatably supported by the base and therefore may be rotated to turn the sunshade bodily relative to the position of the sun, with the 3,289,612 Patented Dec. 6, 1966 sunshade also subject to being tilted as required best to afford adequate shade for the table and the seating area around the table.

The base 1 includes a mounting plate 5 which may be welded thereto and is of such height as to afford an effec tive support for the standard mounted therein. A slot 6 is provided in the upper end of the base 1 to render this upper end subject to being releasably clamped against the standard to hold it against rotation. Suitable manually operable clamping means 7 is provided at the slotted up per end of the base to cause the latter to releasably grip the standard. When this clamping means is released the standard 2 may be easily rotated by reason of a ball hearing 8 seated between the base plate 5 and a plate 9 welded in the lower end of the standard.

The table 3 as here shown is circular but may be of any other shape provided no part thereof will extend outwardly a greater distance than the margins of the sunshade 4. A standard receiving opening 10 is provided in the center of the table and a slotted collar 11 is fastened in any suitable manner to the underside of the table so as to register with the opening 10. The slotted collar 11 is provided with manually operable clamping means 12 which provides for the collar releasably gripping the standard and holding the table in the desired position on the standard 2. In this connection, it should be noted that the table is vertically adjustable throughout substantially all of that. portion of the standard 2 between the base 1 and the means for tiltably mounting the sunshade on the standard. Accordingly, the table may be positioned at different elevations for use as a table or above table positions so that it may be used as a shelf.

The sunshade 4, as here shown, is planar and consists of a square skeleton frame 13 on which is mounted a translucent cover 14, for example corrugated plastic sheeting, suitably fastened to the frame, as shown in the draw ings, it being desired to construct the sunshade so that it is strong yet light and not subject to being blown out of desired position by the wind. The frame may be made of bars or rods of aluminum or any other light and strong material.

Novel means are provided for tiltably mounting the sunshade on the upper end of the standard 2 and such means consists of a pair of like quadrants 15 and 16 which are welded to tubular elements 17 of the frame- 13 and are disposed on opposite sides of the standard as shown in FIG. 2, being held in place by means of a pivot pin 18 which extends through the elements 17 of the frame and through upstanding ears 19 welded to a closure member 20 at the upper end of the standard. Nuts 21 are screwed on the ends of the pin 18 and hold it in position to serve as a pivot when the quadrants are moved to tilt the sunshade. Adjacent their lower edges, the quadrants are provided with slots 22 through which a clamping rod 23 extends, the rod being passed through openings 24 in the standard and having on one end a nut 25 provided with a lug 25' which extends into the slot 22 and prevents the nut from turning when the rod 23 is turned. A handle 26 is fixed to the other end of the rod 23 and washers 27 are mounted on the rod so that upon turning the handle the rod will screw into the nut 25 so as to releasably clamp and hold the quadrants in the desired adjusted position.

It should be noted that the sunshade in being comparatively large requires that it be substantially balanced and securely mounted on the standard and these provisions are assured by the construction and arrangement of the two quadrants that straddle the upper end of the standard.

It should be noted that the table is not provided with legs, it being supported solely by the standard and that the table may be adjusted to various heights and releasably locked in the desired position.

By reason of the large sunshade and the weight thereof plus that of the standard and the table, it is essential that the standard be subjected to easy turning to position the sunshade with respect to the position of the sun. Accordingly, the ball bearing arrangement at the lower end of the standard within the base assures that the standard with the table and sunshade thereon may be easily turned as desired and then releasably held in adjusted position.

When the sunshade is disposed in a position tilted from the horizontal, it may be turned bodily about the axis of thestandard so as to be disposed in a position with reference to the sun, to afford the desired shade.

While the sunshade 4 as here shown is square, it is to be understood that it may be in other rectilinear forms or of other shapes, it being preferred that it be planar, of sufficient area to afford desired shade for the table and seating area around the table.

While specific structural details have been shown and described, it should be understood that changes and alterations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sunshade unit, comprising: a base; a standard; means mounting said standard in upright position on said base and for rotation relative to said base; a planar sunshade member including a skeleton frame and a lightweight sheeting secured in overlying relation on said skeleton frame; said sheeting with said frame being generally rectangular in form; and means connected to said skeleton frame centrally thereof and mounting said planar sunshade member on the upper end of said standard for rotative movement about the axis of the standard upon rotastandard; said sunshade member having an extent from its center substantially approaching the height of said standard; whereby said planar sunshade member may be disposed in positions with respect to the sun to provide therebeneath a shaded area for a table, chair, or the like.

2. A sunshade unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said lightweight sheeting is composed of corrugated plastic.

3. The sunshade unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for tiltably connecting said sunshade member with said standard being located adjacent the center of the sunshade member and including a pair of quadrants disposed on opposite sides of said standard; members depending from said sunshade on opposite sides of said standard and to which said quadrants are rigidly connected; a pivot pin extending through said depending members and said standard; said quadrants having arcuate slots therein adjacent the lower edges thereof; a rod extending through said standard and said slots; and means associated with said rod operable for releasably holding said sunshade in different tilted positions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 196,203 10/1877 Dyett 1088 443,966 12/1890 Knipp et al. 108-6 694,401 3/1902 Marsolais 108-8 1,173,665 2/1916 Jakab 10850 1,898,666 2/1933 Isaacson 108-6 1,947,801 2/1934 Russell 108146 2,877,827 3/1959 Anderson 10850 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,178,309 5/1959 France. 482,696 7/ 1953 Italy.

FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Acting Primary Examiner. tion of the latter and for tilting movement relative to the 30 FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SUNSHADE UNIT, COMPRISING: A BASE; A STANDARD; MEANS MOUNTING SAID STANDARD IN UPRIGHT POSITION ON SAID BASE AND FOR ROTATION RELATIVE TO SAID BADE; A PLANAR SUNSHADE MEMBER INCLUDING A SKELETON FRAME AND A LIGHTWEIGHT SHEETING SECURED IN OVERLYING RELATION ON SAID SKELETON FRAME; SAID SHEETING WITH SAID FRAME BEING GENERALLY RECTANGULR IN FORM; AND MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID SKELETON FRAME CENTRALLY THEREOF AND MOUNTING SAID PLANAR SUNSHADE MEMBER ON THE UPPER END OF SAID STANDARD FOR ROTATIVE MOVEMENT ABOUT THE AXIS OF THE STANDARD UPON ROTATION OF THE LATTER AND FOR TILTING MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO THE 